Train marker and signal lamp



' (NoModeL) M. P. COOK. TRAIN MARKER AND SIGNAL LAMP.

Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

WITNESSES: i '1 A TTOHN E Y S.

NITED STATES PATENT OiTIcE.

MARION P. COOK, OF DENISON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CYRUS R. M ARTIN AND THOMAS E. HANNA, OF SAME PLACE.

TRAIN-MARKER AND SIG NAL-LAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,986, dated February 18, 1896.

Application filed August 20, 1895. Serial No, 559,949. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARION P. COOK, of Denison, in the county of Grayson and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Train-Marker and Signal-Lamp, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in train-markers and engine signal-lamps, and it has for its object to provide a lamp in which the light may be difierently colored and the change of color may be effected in an expeditious and convenient manner Without the necessity of opening the lamp; and a further object of the invention is to provide a guard or slide, whereby the opening through which the adjusting device passes may be closed, so as to prevent the wind from entering the body of the lamp and interfering with the flame.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lamp for railroad purposes and containing two or more lenses or bulls-eyes, the lamp being economically, simply, and durably constructed, and whereby also a light of a predetermined color or of different colors may be shown from the front and rear of the lantern and another-colored light from the side of the lantern, the change of lights being instantaneous.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a horizontal section through the bottom of the lamp, exposing the interior thereof. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the lamp. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. l is a detail enlarged View of the slide or guardsection of the lamp; and Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through the lamp, illustrating a slight modification in its construction.

In carrying out the invention the body A of the lamp is preferably of circular formation and is provided with three or more, pref- -at its vertical portion, and openings 14 are made in the bottom of the body, communicating with the interior of the jacket for purposes of ventilation, and for the same pur pose openings 15 are made in the bottom portion of the body, which is preferably given somewhat of a bell shape.

In the bottom of the body a slight well is formed, and from this well a collar 16 is projected upward, being adapted to receive an oil-receptacle 17 of any approved construction and provided with any desired form of burner 18.

Within the body of the lamp a circular carrier 19 is located, resting upon the top of the jacket 12 of the said body. The said carrier is provided preferably with four openings equally distributed throughout the circumferential area thereof. Said openings are to be covered by colored glass 21as, for instance, the opening at the rear will contain a red glass, while the other three will contain green glass, or clear glass may be substituted for the green glass, if desired. The various panes of glass are held in slide ways 20, which are formed upon the inner face of the carrier and at the sides of the opening therein. This carrier can be readilyremoved from the body of the lamp by detaching the thumb-screw 32 for the purpose of cleaning,

.which screw is shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and

its particular location and operation will be hereinafter described.

The body of the lamp is provided preferably with a hinged cover 22,1ocked to the aforesaid body preferably by a spring-latch 9 23, and the cover is provided with the usual dome and a bail 24., permitting the lamp to be carried readily from place to place. A base 25 is likewise provided for the lamp and connected with its body by a reduced section around which ordinarily a clamp 26 is secured, the said clamp being adapted for attachment to any desired support.

At the back of the body of the lamp a horizontal slot 27 is produced, preferably provided with a circular enlargement or recess 28, and above this slot a housing 29 is constructed on the exterior of the back of the lamp-body, and the housing contains a dropslide 30, the lower end portions of which are preferably recessed, as shown at 30" in Fig. 4, and below the slot 27 keepers 31 are sceured to the exterior of the lamp-body, as is also shown in Fig. 4, the slide 30 being provided with a handle 31 whereby it may be raised and lowered. hen the slide is carried up within the housing it is ordinarily held therein by frictional contact, although a spring may be employed for that purpose if necessary. A set-screw 32 is passed through the slot 27 and into the upright of the carrier 19 contained within the lamp-body and carrying the colored glass. 4

In the operation of this device, when the red glass contained in the carrier will be, for example, in registry with the lens at the rear of the body of the lamp, and the green glass, one each at the front and one side, the other green glass being at the dark side and not in use, and by shifting the thumb-screw to the opposite end of the slot the position of the colored glasses will be instantly changed and green will show at the front, side, and rear of the lamp, and by dropping the slide 30 the thumb-screw will be confined to one or the other end of the aforesaid slot 27, holding said colored glasses in the position in which they had been placed.

The slide 30 eifectually closes the slot 27, and thereby prevents wind from entering the body of the lamp and interfering with the flame of the burner. In fact, the lamp is entirely protected from the weather no matter in what position it may be placed, or how exposed may be that position. It is further obvious that the change in the color of the lights may be expeditiously and conveniently effected without opening the body of the lamp or exposing it to the action of the weather, and that the keepers 31 will limit the downward movement of the slide 30.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated a slight modification in the form of the lamp to be used as an engine signal-lamp, in which but two lenses are provided, and in the body of which semicircular slideways 35 are made, horizontally located, and in each of the said slideways a carrier 34 is mounted, each carrier being provided with a colored glass Each of these carriers in the modified form is manipulated through the medium of a thumb-screw 36, which is connected with the carrier through a horizontal slot 37 made in the body portion of the lamp, the said slot being protected in the same manner as the slot in the train-marker. It will be understood that in addition to the lower horizontal slideways 35 upper slideways are also preferably made in order that both the top and bottom of the carriers may be guided in their movements.

. Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a lamp for the purpose described, a body, a carrier held to turn in the body and provided with colored transparent panes adapted for registry with openings in the carrier, the body being fitted with lenses with which the panes are to register, a thumb-piece connected with the carrier and having sliding movement in the body, and a slide adapted to lock the thumb-piece and cover the opening through which it moves, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a lamp of the character described, a body provided with lenses at its sides and at the front, a rotary carrier supported within the said body and having openings adapted to register with the lenses in the body, the said openings being substantially closed by transparent panes of predetermined colors, a thumb-piece attached to the carrier, the body being provided with a slot in which the said thumb-piece has movement, a slide adapted to cover the said opening and lock the said thumb-piece at either end of the opening, and keepers limiting the downward movement of the aforesaid slide, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a lantern, the combination, with a casing containing lenses, and a carrier for colored glass held to revolve in the said casing, the casing being provided with a horizon tallylocated slot, of a housing located above the slot in the casing, a set-screw passed through the said slot and secured to the said carrier, and a slide located within the housing, arranged to cover the slot in the casing and lock the set-screw in a given position, as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a lantern for the purpose described, a body provided with a ventilated seat, a carrier held to revolve with the body and removable therefrom, being supported by the said seat, a detachable thumb-piece connected with the carrier and extending downward through the horizontal opening in the body, and a slide adapted to cover said opening serving also as a lock for the said thuml )1')lOCO, as and for the purpose specified.

MARION P. (100K. \Vitnesses:

D. A. CASI-IMAN, II. P. Hunt. 

